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but in the fight he received a slight battering。 The next day at the scheduled S。C。T。 pitting； I had been forced to pit Freelance again because I had posted a two…hundreddollar forfeit； and I had been too ashamed to withdraw。 Freelance lost； and I had lost my chance for the award。
A few weeks later； while brooding about this lost fight； a fight that had been lost by my personal vanity and big mouth； I made my self…imposed vow of silence。 I intended to keep the vow until I was awarded that little silver medal。 No one； other than myself； knew about my vow； and I could have broken it at any time without losing face。 But I would know； and I had to shave every day。 At first it had been hell； especially when I had had a few drinks and wanted to get in on the chicken talk in a bar or around the cockhouses at a game club； but I had learned how to live with it。
On the day Mr。 Middleton picked me up in his Cadillac at Captain Mack's Trailer Court in Belle Glade； I hadn't said a word to anyone in two years and seven months。
〃You're a hard man to talk to since you lost your voice！〃 Ed Middleton boomed in his resonant baritone。
With a slight start； I turned and grinned at him。
〃I mean it；〃 he said seriously。 〃I feel like a radio announcer talking into a microphone in a soundproof room。 I know I must be reaching somebody； but I'll be damned if I know who it is。 You've changed a lot in the last two or three years； Frank。 I know you're working as hard as you ever did； but you shouldn't take life too seriously。 And don't let a run of bad luck get you down； do you hear？〃
I nodded。 Ed jabbed me in the ribs sharply with his elbow。
〃You've still got a lot of friends； you big dumb bastard！〃 he finished gruffly。 With a quick movement he snapped on the dash radio； twisted the volume on full and almost blasted me out of my seat。 He turned the volume down again and said bitterly： 〃And on top of everything else； there's nothing on the radio these days but rock 'n' roll！〃
He left the radio on anyway； and said no more until we reached Saint Cloud。 We pulled into the parking area of a garish drive…in restaurant and got out of the car。 It was only six thirty； but the sun had dropped out of sight。 There were just a few jagged streaks of orange in the western sky； an intermingling of nimbus clouds and smoke from runaway muck fires。 As we admired these fiery fingers in the sky； Mr。 Middleton smacked his lips。
〃How does a steak sound； Frank？〃
I certainly didn't intend to spend my remaining ten dollars on a steak。 In reply； I emptied my pockets and showed him a double handful of junk； and some loose change。
〃I didn't expect you to pay for it；〃 he said resentfully。 〃Let's go inside。〃
The sirloin was excellent。 So was the baked potato and green salad and three cups of coffee that went with it。 After three weeks of Dody's halfhearted cooking； I appreciated a good steak dinner。 On regular fare； such as greens； pork chops； string beans； cornbread and so on； I'm a fairly good cook； and I enjoy the preparation of my own meals。 But I never prepare food when I have a woman around to do it for me。 As I ate； I wondered vaguely how Jack Burke was making out with the girl。 Although I was broke； the steak restored my good spirits； and I felt a certain sense of newfound freedom now that I no longer had Dody to worry about。
We lingered over dinner for more than an hour and didn't arrive at Mr。 Middleton's home until after nine。 His ranchstyle； concrete brick and stucco house was about three miles off the main highway on a private gravel road and pletely surrounded by orange groves。 An avid fisherman； Ed had built his home with the rear terrace overlooking a small pond。 He parked in a double carport； set well away from the house； backing in beside a blue Chevy pickup。
Before we crossed the flagstone patio； Ed flipped a switch in the carport and flooded the patio and most of the small lake with light。 The pond was about forty yards in diameter； and there was an aluminum fishing skiff tied to a concrete block pier at the edge of the gently sloping lawn。
〃I've stocked the damned lake with fish four different times；〃 Ed said angrily； 〃but they disappear someplace。 Hide in the muck at the bottom； I suppose。 Anyway； I've never been able to catch very many。〃
When the lights were turned on； Mrs。 Middleton opened the back door and peered out。 Her dark hair； shot through with streaks of gray； was coiled in a heavy round bun at the nape of her neck。
〃Who's that with you； Ed？〃 she asked。
We crossed the patio to the door and Ed kissed his wife on the mouth。 He gripped my upper arm with his thick fingers and pulled me in front of him。
〃Frank Mansfield； Martha。 You remember him； I'm sure。 He's going to spend the night with us。〃
〃Of course；〃 Martha said。 〃e on inside； Frank； before the mosquitoes eat you alive！〃
We entered the kitchen and I blinked unfortably beneath the blue…and…yellow fluorescent lights。 I shook hands with Mrs。 Middleton after she wiped her hands unnecessarily on her clean white apron。 She was a motherly woman； about ten or fifteen years younger than her husband； but without any children to 〃mother。〃
〃Have you boys had your dinner？〃 she asked。
〃We had a little something in Saint Cloud；〃 Ed admitted。 〃Restaurants！〃 she said。 〃Why didn't you bring Frank on home to dinner when you were that close？〃 she scolded。 〃Sit down； Frank！ How've you been？ Could you eat a piece of key lime pie？ Of course you can。 I know you both want coffee。〃
As we sat down at the breakfast nook together； Ed winked at me。 Mrs。 Middleton bustled around in her bright and shiny kitchen； banging things together； just as busy as she could be。
〃Force some pie down anyway； Frank；〃 Mr。 Middleton said in a loud stage whisper。 〃I'm going to eat a piece even though I hate it。〃
〃Ha！〃 Martha said from beside the stove。 〃You hate it all right！〃
After we were served and eating our pie； there was nothing else Mrs。 Middleton could do for us。 She stood beside the table with her hands clasped beneath her apron； working her pursed lips in and out。 I had the feeling that she wanted to ask me questions； but out of consideration for my socalled affliction； she wanted to phrase her questions so that I could answer them yes or no； and yet she couldn't manage any questions of that kind。 I hadn't seen Mrs。 Middleton or talked to her for at least four years。 As I recalled； the last time I had seen her was at a banquet held following the International Cockfighting Tournament in Saint Petersburg。 My 〃dumbness〃 had been a subject that she and her husband had undoubtedly discussed between them。
〃Sit down； Martha；〃 Ed said。 〃Have a cup of coffee with us。〃
〃And stay awake all night？ No thanks。〃 She sat beside her husband； however； and smiled across the table。 〃Do you like the pie； Frank？〃
I kissed my fingertips and rolled my eyes toward the ceiling。
〃Lime is Ed's favorite。〃 She put a hand on her husband's sleeve。 〃How was the trip； Ed？〃
Ed Middleton put his fork crosswise on his empty plate； wiped his lips with a napkin； and looked steadily at his wife。 〃The trip doesn't matter； Martha；〃 he said； 〃because it was the last； the very last。〃
For a long time； a very long time it seemed to me； the elderly couple looked into each other's eyes。 Mr。 Middleton smiled and nodded his head； and Martha's lower lip began to tremble and her eyes were humid。 An instant later she was crying。 She hurriedly left the table； put her apron to her face and； still crying； ran out of the room。
Mr。 Middleton crumpled the square of linen and tossed it toward the stove。 The napkin fluttered to the floor； and he smiled and shook his head。
〃She's crying because she's happy；〃 he said。 〃Well； dammit； I promised to give up cockfighting； and a promise is a promise！〃 He got up from the table； doubled his right fist； and punched me hard on the shoulder。 〃Pour yourself some more coffee； eat another piece of pie。 I'll be back in a minute。〃
He pushed through the swinging door and disappeared。 The lime pie was tart； tasty； with a wonderful two…inch topping of snow white； frothy meringue。 I ate two more pieces； drank two more cups of coffee。 I smoked two cigarettes。 Just as I was beginning to wonder whether Ed was going to e back to the kitchen or not； he pushed through the door。
〃e on； Frank；〃 he snapped his fingers； 〃let's go get your suitcase。〃
We went out to his Caddy； and after he unlocked the doors； I got my suitcase out of the back。 When we returned to the kitchen； he switched off the patio lights。 I followed him through the living room and into his study。
〃This was supposed to be a third bedroom；〃 he explained。 〃Actually； it was designed as the master bedroom； and it's a lot larger than the other two bedrooms in the back。 But Martha and I decided to each take a small bedroom apiece so our snoring wouldn't bother each other。 And besides； I needed a large room like this as an office。 A big man needs a big room。〃 He opened the door leading to the bathroom。 〃Here's the can； Frank。 Take a shower if you want to。 There's always hot water； and these towels are all clean in here。 I'll get you some sheets。〃
Ed left the room and I could hear him clumping down the hallway； yelling to his wife and asking her where she kept the clean sheets hidden。
The Middletons' ranch…style home was so modern in design and color that the old…fashioned furniture in the study was out of place。 The walls were painted a bright warm blue； and there were matching floor…to…ceiling drapes over both windows。 The floor was black…and…white pebbled terrazzo； and there the modernity stopped。 The floor was covered with an oval…shaped hooked rag rug。 There was an ugly； well…scratched； walnut rolltop desk against one wall； and there was an ancient horsehair…stuffed Victorian couch against the opposite wall。 Beneath one window there was a scuffed cowhide easy chair； and a shiny black steamer trunk under the other window。 A red…lacquered straight chair； with a circular cane seat； stood beside the desk。 Three heavy wrought…iron smoking stands pleted the furnishings。
I was attracted to the framed photographs on the walls。 Each photo was framed in a cheap glass…covered black frame； the type sold in dime stores。 Most of the glossy photos were of gamecocks； but there were several photos of Ed Middleton and his cronies。 An old cover page of The Southern Cockfighter； with a four…color drawing of Ed Middleton's famous cock Freddy； held the place of honor above the desk。 Freddy had won nineteen fights and had died in his coop ten years before。 Anywhere chicken talk is held； Freddy's name es up sooner or later。
Mr。 Middleton reentered the room； carrying sheets； a blanket and a pillow under his right arm； and a portable television set in his left hand。 He tossed the bedcovers on the couch； placed the portable set on the seat of the red straight…backed chair； and plugged the cord into the wall socket。
〃I told Martha you wouldn't need a blanket； but you know how women are。〃
I nodded。 I knew how women were。 I began to make up the lumpy couch with the sheets。
〃To give you something to do； I brought in the TV。 It isn't much good but you can get Orlando； anyway。 I'd stay up and keep you pany for a while； but I'm pretty tired。 This has been a long day for an old man。〃
I soon had the couch made up； but Mr。 Middleton lingered in the room。 He studied a photograph of a framed cock on the wall； and beckoned to me as I started to sit down。
〃e here； Frank。 Take a look at this cock。 It's a phenomenon in breeding and you'll never see another like it。 A bird called Bright Boy； one of the most courageous birds I ever owned。 Yet it was bred from a father and a daughter。 By all the rules； a cock bred that way usually runs every time； but this beauty never did。 He was killed in his second fight in a drag pitting。 Sorry now I didn't keep him for a brood cock to see what would have happened。 I suppose there are similar cases； but this is the only one I really know is true。 Did you ever hear of a real fighter bred of father and daughter？〃
I shook my head。 If true； and I doubted Ed's story； this was an unusual case。 When it e